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[Blu-Ray Review] ‘Gotham: The Complete Third Season’: Now Available On Blu-ray & DVD From DC & Warner Broshttps://screen-connections.com/2017/09/23/blu-ray-review-gotham-the-complete-third-season-now-available-on-blu-ray-dvd-from-dc-warner-bros/
https://screen-connections.com/2017/09/23/blu-ray-review-gotham-the-complete-third-season-now-available-on-blu-ray-dvd-from-dc-warner-bros/#respondSat, 23 Sep 2017 19:09:04 +0000http://screen-connections.com/?p=15845]]>Gotham: The Complete Third Season [Blu-Ray]

Cast: Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, David Mazouz

Release Date: August 29, 2017

A Review By: Kevin Lovell

Disc Rating: 7.5/10

Synopsis:

The fight for order and control in Gotham is deadlier than ever with the introduction of cunning, new DC Super-Villains who might alter the future of our heroes and their beloved city. With the Indian Hill fugitives on the loose, Jim Gordon takes matters into his own hands as a bounty hunter in order to save the city that he loves, but will he accomplish his mission to find deranged mastermind Hugo Strange and Fish Mooney, one of Strange’s villainous subjects? While Gordon plays bounty hunter, Gotham City Police Department’s Bullock and Barnes remain on the frontline in Gotham, fighting against crime and destruction in the monster-ridden city. The city seems to be descending further and further into chaos and darkness as burgeoning DC Super-Villains Penguin, Edward Nygma/The Riddler and more are joined by the future Poison Ivy, now transformed into a young woman who’s harnessed the full power of her charms, and Jervis Tetch aka Mad Hatter, a. talented hypnotist teetering on the edge of madness. All the while, a young Bruce Wayne discovers that there are still more secrets behind his parents’ murder as he peels back the curtain on the infamous criminal organization known as the Court of Owls.

Please Note: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Post. The opinions I share are my own.

Season three of ‘Gotham’ picks up following the escape of various monstrous villains led by the modified Fish Mooney which concluded season two. Now, monsters continue to roam the streets and things have only become increasingly worse; James Gordon is now on his own with Lee gone, no longer a cop and currently spending his days making quick cash as a bounty hunter, tracking down the various monsters still on the loose. Meanwhile Fish begins to set plans in motion to enact revenge on those who did her wrong, while also attempting to track down and acquire the doctor who just may be the only one capable of fixing her. Elsewhere, a new hypnotist arrives in town with some extraordinary abilities that can have deadly consequences and Gordon has found himself directly in his sights. Get ready for another season filled with backstabbing, murder, mayhem and madness like only ‘Gotham’ can deliver. With plenty of surprises in store including villains running for city office, the return of some familiar, smiling faces and a whole lot more.

The third season of ‘Gotham’ returns with all of your favorite dastardly, conniving and sadistic villains and brave, yet troubled heroes as the war for Gotham reaches new levels of insane. Taking viewers further into the demented minds and origins of numerous beloved baddies from the Batman comics, as well as the continued rise of some key good guys, the third season also introduces some more favorites in its own unique style including the arrival of Jervis Tetch, aka The Mad Hatter who makes his dazzling debut while leaving heaps of mayhem and carnage along the way. The latest season also contributes plenty of nods at the Batman comics (and even a couple at the Tim Burton directed films if I’m not mistaken) with a deeper exploration of the infamous Court of Owls, not to mention making some real headway with other characters such as Edward Nygma who begins to truly embark upon his path as The Riddler this year. It doesn’t have quite the outright jaw-dropping effect that the show’s sophomore (and by far best) season miraculously retained throughout, but it still manages to craft some twisted and memorable moments that are on par with the show’s finest. All eventually building to a wild and almost apocalyptic set of events perfectly suited to conclude the third season and take things into the fourth which is just getting started on Fox. Any fellow fans of the series that haven’t yet had the chance to check this season out definitely won’t want to miss out on all of the twisted and bloody fun it has to offer and will want to make a point of trying to catch up as soon as possible.

Overall, the third season of ‘Gotham’ delivers all of the action-packed mayhem and insanity with flair and gorgeous scenery around every turn that fans of the series have come to love, while also introducing some more famous Batman baddies in the show’s own twisted style and revisiting numerous returning favorites as well. Offering some new twists, surprises and alliances to keep fans on their toes, the third season is another tense, gloomy and violent journey into the darkness of Gotham City that may not quite match the overall insanity of the sophomore season but still manages to serve up plenty of delightfully twisted fun to keep fans enthralled. Fellow DC fanatics and fans of this series in particular that have been collecting the previous BD season releases will definitely want to consider purchasing a copy of ‘Gotham: The Complete Third Season’ on Blu-ray if you haven’t already in order to have the ability to revisit any or all of the season’s twisted, action-packed fun at any time you desire, and with the solid high definition video and audio presentations included on this 4-disc Blu-ray set.

VIDEO:

The Blu-ray release of ‘Gotham: The Complete Third Season’ features a full 1080p High Definition presentation utilizing the show’s original 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio on all of the third season’s episodes. The video presentations look pretty great overall, and aside from suffering somewhat lacking bitrates as usual they still manage to deliver sharp, detailed and clean presentations on every episode, with little to no noticeable faults to be found throughout. They hold up admirably even during the numerous darkly lit and fast moving sequences, never causing anything occurring on screen to become negatively affected or rendered indiscernible. Overall, these are pretty fantastic high definition video presentations that are easily the best possible way in which to experience or revisit the season.

AUDIO:

The Blu-ray release features a lossless 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on all 22 Season Three episodes. These lossless multichannel soundtracks offer crisp, clean and notably aggressive audio presentations on each episode of the season. They consistently take advantage of all five available channels in order to immerse the viewer within the on screen insanity and fun, sending plenty of bullets, explosions, debris, vehicle activity and a whole lot more regularly zipping throughout the various speakers, and never causing any dialogue or other simultaneously occurring auditory elements to become distorted or rendered inaudible in the process. Overall, these are wonderful 5.1 channel DTS-HD MA soundtracks that compliment the series splendidly and should easily thrill both fans and first time viewers alike.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The Blu-ray release of ‘Gotham: The Complete Third Season’ includes a few solid extras that fans will likely want to check out. Included on the release are ‘Deleted Scene(s)’ from ten of the season’s episodes, in addition to the ‘Gotham: 2016 Comic-Con Panel’ (running approximately 28 minutes in length) and a few behind the scenes Featurettes that include behind the scenes footage, interviews/comments with the cast and crew, plus more. The included Featurettes are: ‘Madness Rising: The New Villains of Gotham’ (running approximately 10 minutes), ‘The Dark within the Dark: The Court of Owls’ (approximately 12 minutes) and ‘Ben Mckenzie’s Directorial Debut’ (2 minutes).

*Please note that the above images are taken from the Blu-Ray and resized. They additionally will suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on this Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.

Disc Rating: 7.5/10

‘Gotham: The Complete Third Season’ is Now Available to Own on Blu-ray & DVD from DC Entertainment & Warner Bros Home Entertainment

You can purchase ‘Gotham: Season 3’ by clicking on the Amazon Cart Icon immediately below!

Based on the real-life courtship between Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, The Big Sick tells the story of Pakistan-born aspiring comedian Kumail (Nanjiani), who connects with grad student Emily (Kazan) after one of his stand-up sets. However, what they thought would be just a one-night stand blossoms into the real thing, which complicates the life that is expected of Kumail by his traditional Muslim parents. When Emily is beset with a mystery illness, it forces Kumail to navigate the medical crisis with her parents, Beth and Terry (Hunter and Romano) who he’s never met, while dealing with the emotional tug-of-war between his family and his heart.

Based on the true events revolving around the meeting and courtship of Kumail Nanjiani and his real life wife Emily V. Gordon, ‘The Big Sick’ joins Kumail who is currently trying to merely survive doing stand-up and driving for Uber when he randomly meets the peculiar Emily at one of his shows and quickly falls head over heels for her. As their relationship builds, the unavoidable culture clash threatens to ruin everything, but when Emily is admitted to the hospital suffering from an unknown disease Kumail refuses to abandon her regardless of what may have occurred prior. Even if doing so may mean having to also deal with plenty of awkwardness when Emily’s parents arrive and further complicate matters. As things continue to look darker, new friendships are formed and it soon becomes clear that things will never be the same once Kumail begins to understand that he’s truly in love with Emily.

Directed by the talented Michael Showalter (who previously helmed the phenomenal ‘Hello, My Name is Doris’) from a screenplay written by real life couple Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani whose true story the film is based upon, Showalter does a fantastic job at the helm of ‘The Big Sick’ guiding along this wonderful tale with passion and ease. The film also owes a good share of the credit to the talented folks that comprise the cast and really allow it work so perfectly, including Kumail Nanjia (TV’s Silicon Valley) portraying himself, along with Zoe Kazan (The Monster), Holly Hunter (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice), Ray Romano (TV’s Parenthood), Anupam Kher (TV’s Sense8) and more, nearly all delivering noteworthy performances in each of their respective roles.

‘The Big Sick’ is a tremendous film that’s constantly brimming with passion, heart and a healthy helping of laugh out loud moments, inviting viewers on a true, emotional journey that’s never afraid to tackle some important issues or leave you bursting with laughter at the most unexpected of times, and always focusing on and embracing the humanity and relationships within, while never hesitating to poke fun at them along the way either. There may be a few sequences within that can begin feeling a bit stretched, but even so a lot of those moments tend to serve some higher purpose or importance and it certainly never appears as if they’re merely attempting to fill time. As a whole it comes together beautifully to form a truly magnificent film that will have you laughing, smiling and just downright emotional as it takes you along on this tremendous and incredibly moving journey. ‘The Big Sick’ is passionately guided around every corridor by director Michael Showalter and further complimented by notable performances from a well selected cast that includes Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano and more. I would strongly urge anyone who enjoys a well done romantic comedy with a powerful story and cast that’s complimented by plenty of heart and laughs to make a point of giving ‘The Big Sick’ a whirl when you have the opportunity to do so, it’s easily one of the most moving and well made romantic comedies in recent memory and one you probably won’t want to dream of missing out on.

Overall, ‘The Big Sick’ is quite simply a fantastic film. Based on true events (and penned by the couple whose story it’s based on no less) it’s a moving, heartwarming and downright hilarious romantic comedy that isn’t afraid to abandon the tired formula of so many similar films, instead embracing the true events that served as its inspiration and culminating into one of the finest and most unique comedy films in recent memory. ‘The Big Sick’ effortlessly earns one of my highest recommendations, particularly for fans of Kumail Nanjiani’s work and that of director Michael Showalter, along with anyone that appreciates a heartfelt and remarkably well made romantic comedy with something new to offer. This is one hilarious, moving and incredibly enjoyable film that should have no trouble whatsoever proving itself well worth your time and the cost of a rental at the very least.

VIDEO:

The Blu-ray release of ‘The Big Sick’ features a full 1080p High Definition presentation utilizing the film’s original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio. The video presentation looks pretty great as a whole and provides a fairly sharp, detailed and clean presentation from start to finish, that aside from a few moments that appear slightly duller than the rest looks fantastic and holds up quite smoothly even during the numerous darkly lit and heavily populated moments throughout. Overall, this is a pretty solid high definition video presentation that should have no trouble largely satisfying the masses.

AUDIO:

The Blu-ray release features a lossless 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. This lossless multichannel soundtrack offers a crisp, clean and somewhat active audio presentation throughout. It occasionally takes advantage of all five available channels in order to send crowd chatter and hospital background activity, along with a bit more throughout the various speakers when appropriate, and never conflicting with any dialogue or other simultaneously occurring auditory elements. Overall, this is a highly capable 5.1 channel DTS-HD MA soundtrack that delivers in every way required of it and shouldn’t disappoint.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The Blu-ray release of ‘The Big Sick’ includes some entertaining and funny extras. Included on the release is a ‘Cast & Filmmaker Audio Commentary’, in addition to a collection of ‘Deleted Scenes’ from the film (running approximately 10 minutes in length combined) along with some more extra footage via ‘The Big Sick: The Other Stuff’ (running approximately 4 minutes). We are also treated to some Featurettes and fun videos that include interviews/comments with the cast and a crew, behind the scenes footage, plus more. The included Featurettes are: ‘A Personal Journey: The Making of The Big Sick’ (approximately 15 minutes), ‘The Real Story’ (7 minutes), the ‘2017 SXSW Film Festival Panel’ (12 minute) and ‘The Bigger Sick: Stick Around for More Laughs’ (10 minutes).

*Please note that the above images are taken from the Blu-Ray and resized. They additionally will suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on this Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.

Film Rating: 9.5/10
Disc Rating: 7.5/10

‘The Big Sick’ is Now Available to Own on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD from Amazon Studios & Lionsgate Home Entertainment

You can purchase ‘The Big Sick’ by clicking on the Amazon Cart Icon immediately below!

Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny.

Please Note: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Post. The opinions I share are my own.

The latest installment in the DC film universe takes viewers back in time to explore the origins of ‘Wonder Woman’. Born Diana and raised and trained on the beautiful and hidden island world of her people, without even a glimpse of violence or a man her entire life. Until that fateful day when her peaceful world is shattered and the war is brought directly to the Amazons, subsequently forcing Diana to accompany a spy back to the world of man. Believing the God Ares to be responsible for the massive war currently raging, Diana begins to find her way into the midst of the epic battle with the intention of completing her people’s mission once and for all by destroying Ares. That’s assuming of course that Ares is in fact responsible and the war isn’t merely a result of humanity’s own doing.

Directed by Patty Jenkins (Monster, TV’s The Killing) from a screenplay by Allan Heinberg (TV’s Sex and the City) which was based upon a story by himself, Zack Snyder (Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice) and Jason Fuchs (Pan) respectively, Jenkins does a wonderful job at the helm of ‘Wonder Woman’ effortlessly capturing the heart and heroism of the character. The film also owes plenty of credit to the talented and well selected individuals that comprise the cast which includes Gal Gadot (Fast & Furious), Chris Pine (Star Trek Beyond), Robin Wright (TV’s House of Cards), Danny Huston (TV’s American Horror Story), David Thewlis (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), Connie Nielsen (Gladiator), Elena Anaya (The Skin I Live In) and more, nearly all delivering highly capable performances in each of their respective roles.

‘Wonder Woman’ delivers a visually stunning, action-packed and often quite humorous exploration of the warrior’s origins and delving into her reasons for being so hesitant on risking all for mankind. Featuring no shortage of glorious, detailed imagery and allowing viewers to better understand the motives and mindset of Diana, aka Wonder Woman and just what she is truly capable of. While the impressive visual elements in addition to some jaw-dropping action sequences that look truly marvelous are all important elements of the film, ‘Wonder Woman’ also has a great deal more to offer and in addition to further exploring the title character, the movie has plenty of additional lovable and cleverly crafted characters that viewers will quickly find themselves caring for as well and this attention to detail and focus on humanity and other such familiar aspects really allows this film to be something far more than another meaningless and only marginally interesting origin story. Director Patty Jenkins does a fantastic job guiding this adventure along each turn and her capable guidance is boosted all the more by a talented and perfectly selected cast that includes Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright and Danny Huston along with a number more. The fellow DC fans such as me that find themselves baffled by the hate of the previous films and even those who aren’t necessarily fond of the other recent DC Film Universe entries will both probably have quite a bit of fun with ‘Wonder Woman’ and I would strongly urge folks on both sides to at least give it a chance when possible. The fellow 3D enthusiasts should also have quite a bit of fun with this capable post-conversion that offers plenty of notable depth and additional detail on so many of the breathtaking landscapes presented within, along with quite a few grin inducing pop out effects that appear to leap out of the screen without ever really appearing to play to or have planned for the effect, yet appearing equally fantastic nonetheless and also allowing the film to work tremendously in either format.

Overall,’ Wonder Woman’ is a heartfelt and visually gorgeous adventure with no shortage of action-packed excitement and laughs throughout. Passionately guided along by director Patty Jenkins and further excelled by a wonderful cast that’s led by Gal Gadot and Chris Pine, it all results in a wildly enjoyable adventure that certainly makes a tremendously welcome addition to the expanding DC Film universe. ‘Wonder Woman’ is definitely highly recommended, especially to the fellow DC fanatics out there who might have missed it during its theatrical run. Many folks who appreciate comic book films to some degree yet haven’t been overly fond of the recent DC film entries leading up to ‘Wonder Woman’ will also probably want to make a point of at least giving this one a watch when convenient. It should prove itself well worth your time and probably the cost of a rental if nothing else for anyone who might be interested in the film yet is hesitant to drop the funds on a blind purchase.

VIDEO:

The Blu-ray 3D release of ‘Wonder Woman’ features a full 1080p High Definition MVC encoded 3D presentation utilizing the film’s original 2.40:1 Cinemascope Aspect Ratio. This 3D presentation looks pretty wonderful as a whole and offers a clean, detailed and fairly immersive 3D experience with no notable faults to be found throughout. The 3D presentation offers plenty of capable depth and gorgeous scenery that continually seems to be nearly within reach and also provides a cleaner display of the details thanks to the added dimension, while also featuring plenty of enjoyable pop out effects such as bullets, guns, and Diana’s lasso which all often appear to leap straight out of the screen. Overall, this is a highly capable and fairly impressive 3D high definition video presentation that should have no trouble repeatedly slapping a grin on your face.

The 2D Blu-ray release which is also included in the 3D Blu-ray combo pack features an AVC encoded full high definition video presentation also representing the film’s original 2.40:1 Cinemascope Aspect Ratio. This 2D high definition presentation also looks pretty fantastic in its own right and provides a consistently clean and detailed presentation based on the scenes I had the chance to check out and scan through on the disc.

AUDIO:

Continuing the recent trend on Warner Bros Home Entertainment’s Blu-ray 3D releases, the standard 2D Blu-ray disc of ‘Wonder Woman’ yet again features a Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 channel compatible) soundtrack, while the 3D Blu-ray disc once more features a somewhat less impressive 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. As this review focuses primarily on the 3D release, this audio section will concentrate primarily on the 5.1 channel DTS-HD MA included on the Blu-ray 3D disc’s presentation. This lossless multichannel soundtrack still sounds pretty great for what it is and offers a crisp, clean and hard hitting audio presentation throughout. It constantly takes full advantage of all five available channels in order to send a barrage of action effects, along with bullets, planes and plenty more whipping throughout the various speakers, and never causing any dialogue or other auditory elements that may be occurring simultaneously to become distorted or rendered inaudible in the process. Overall, this 5.1 channel DTS-HD MA soundtrack sounds great and offers an immersive and aggressive audio presentation, yet it’s still a definite step down from the Dolby Atmos soundtrack included on the standard 2D Blu-ray presentation.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The Blu-ray 3D release of ‘Wonder Woman’ includes an impressive collection of supplemental material that takes fans deeper into bringing the film to life; the entirety of which can be found on the standard 2D Blu-ray disc. Included on the release is some additional footage from the film; an ‘Epilogue: Etta’s Mission’ (running approximately 3 minutes in length), in addition to a few ‘Extended Scenes’ from the movie (running approximately 9 minutes in total) and an ‘Alternate Scene: Walk To No Man’s Land’ (approximately 1 minute). We are also treated to a collection of Behind the Scenes Featurettes that take you deeper into bringing the film to life and featuring tons of behind the scenes footage, interviews/comments with the cast and a crew, plus more. The included Featurettes are: ‘A Director’s Vision’ which is broken down into five parts: ‘Themyscira: The Hidden Island’ (running approximately 5 minutes), ‘Beach Battle’ (approximately 5 minutes), ‘A Photograph Through Time’ (5 minutes), ‘Diana in the Modern World’ (5 minutes) and ‘Wonder Woman at War’ (5 minutes). The other included Featurettes are: ‘Crafting the Wonder’ (approximately 16 minutes), ‘Warriors of Wonder Woman’ (10 minutes), ‘The Trinity’ (16 minutes), ‘The Wonder behind the Camera’ (16 minutes) and ‘Finding the Wonder Woman Within’ (23 minutes). A ‘Blooper Reel’ (approximately 6 minutes) for the film is also included.

*Please note that the above images are taken from the Blu-Ray and resized. They additionally will suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. It should additionally be noted that for the purpose of convenience, the images present for this specific release represent the 2D version of the film, even though the review itself covers the 3D version. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on this Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.

This outrageous family comedy tells the story of two overly imaginative best friends, George (Kevin Hart) and Harold (Thomas Middleditch), who hypnotize their principal (Ed Helms) into thinking he’s the hero from their comic books: Captain Underpants.

Based on the bestselling book series, ‘Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie’ takes viewers into the world of best friends and school pranksters George (Hart) and Harold (Middleditch) who after being caught red handed for an epic prank find themselves in danger of being separated and placed in separate classrooms by their dastardly principal (Helms) who is intent to destroy their friendship in order to make his own life easier. But after accidentally hypnotizing their principal with a cheap trick ring they soon miraculously find him under their control and have him donning the identity of the comic book superhero they created: ‘Captain Underpants’. Now George and Harold must find a way to keep their little secret from coming out and quickly find themselves with a whole mess of problems to tackle including a careless and dimwitted superhero to keep in check.

Having never had the pleasure of the books it was based upon, nor even catching a trailer for the film I must admit I dove into ‘Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie’ with little knowledge of the movie and what a glorious treat I was provided in the subsequent 90 minutes courtesy of this clever, exciting, hilarious and just flat out ridiculously fun animated ride that almost certainly finds itself among my all-time favorite DreamWorks Animation films. Brimming with heart, humor and an overall inviting tone that can’t help but promptly pull you in, it’s a wildly enjoyable animated journey for the entire family that always has a great deal of fun with itself along the way, and is only complimented all the more by the gorgeous animation always on display. Capably guided by director David Soren who previously made his feature length directorial debut with DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Turbo’ and further boosted by a talented and fitting voice cast that includes Kevin Hart, Ed Helms, Nick Kroll, Thomas Middleditch and more, this animated good time certainly offers the goods all around. ‘Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie’ should have no problem whatsoever keeping children and adults of all ages glued to the screen from beginning to end, and likely with a grin plastered on your face for the majority of that duration. It’s one truly fantastic animated film that I would strongly urge everyone to check out if you have the chance, and it should also make a perfect selection for a family movie night.

Overall, ‘Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie’ is a clever and incredibly fun animated film that delivers plenty of goofy antics, laugh out loud moments and visually gorgeous animation; all forming together to make one truly special animated adventure for the entire family that’s not to be missed. I highly recommend ‘Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie’, it’s an insanely fun (and funny) animated adventure and one of the finest animated films to date from DreamWorks Animation. Fans of such animated features and households with children young and old (especially those who might also be fans of the books the film was based upon) will definitely want to make a point of giving this one a shot when you have the opportunity. It should make a great candidate for a family movie night or even a solo one when you simply want to relax, smile and have some carefree fun.

VIDEO:

The Blu-ray release of ‘Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie’ features a full 1080p High Definition presentation utilizing the film’s original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio. The video presentation looks outstanding in every possible way and delivers a sharp, detailed and brightly lit presentation that suffers no noticeable faults throughout. It holds up beautifully even during the heavily populated and darker sequences, never allowing anything occurring on screen to become negatively affected or rendered indiscernible; everything looking consistently fantastic down to each animated line. Overall, this is a phenomenal high definition video presentation that should have zero trouble satisfying fans of the film and first time viewers alike.

AUDIO:

The Blu-ray release features a lossless 7.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. This lossless multichannel soundtrack sounds wonderful and offers a crisp, clean and often quite aggressive audio presentation throughout. It frequently takes advantage of all seven available channels in order to send action and prank related auditory effects, along with crowd chatter and plenty more regularly whipping throughout the various speakers and never causing any dialogue or other auditory elements that might be occurring simultaneously to become distorted or rendered inaudible in the process. Overall, this is a top notch 7.1 channel DTS-HD MA soundtrack that compliments the film splendidly and contributes plenty of additional fun to the overall viewing experience.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The Blu-ray release of ‘Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie’ includes a number of fun and amusing extras. Included on the release is ‘The Really Cool Adventures of Captain Underpants Motion Comic’ (running approximately 3 minutes in length), in addition to a collection of fun videos, Featurettes and more including: ‘The Captain Underpants Guide to Being a Hero’ (running approximately 4 minutes), ‘The Professor Poopypants (totally original and supercool) Guide to Being a Villain’ (approximately 4 minutes), ‘Missing Underpants: The Deleted Scenes of Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie’ (11 minutes in total), ‘Captain Underpants Lyric Video by “Weird Al” Yankovic’ (2 minutes), ‘”A Friend Like You” Lyric Video by Andy Grammer’ (4 minutes), ‘Kevin Hart and Ed Helms Surprise Fans’ (2 minutes), ‘Sock Puppets Real Stars’ (30 seconds) and ‘Tighty-Whitey Q&A with the Stars’ which is broken into 2 parts (running 1 minute apiece). Also included are the ‘Theatrical Trailer’ for the movie (approximately 2 minutes), 2 ‘Galleries’: ‘Comic Book Covers’ & ‘The Art of Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie’, and ‘The World of DreamWorks Animation’ which features music videos and other small goodies for each member of the DreamWorks animated family.

*Please note that the above images are taken from the Blu-Ray and resized. They additionally will suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on this Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.

Film Rating: 9/10
Disc Rating: 7.5/10

‘Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie’ is Now Available to own on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD from DreamWorks Home Entertainment & Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

You can purchase ‘Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie’ by clicking on the Amazon Cart Icon immediately below!

Roger Murtaugh (Damon Wayans) and Martin Riggs (Clayne Crawford) are back on the streets of L.A., in Warner Bros. Television’s adaptation of the classic buddy cop action-comedy. The series introduces these two polar opposites: Riggs a volatile former Navy SEAL-turned-detective out of El Paso, Texas with a tendency to dive into the line of fire following the tragic deaths of his wife and unborn son; and Murtaugh, a seasoned, by-the-book detective cautiously returning to the LAPD in the wake of a heart attack that nearly killed him. While the partnership seems doomed from the start, the dynamic is crazy enough that it just might work. The question remains… can the two of them work together to protect the crime-ridden streets of Los Angeles, or will Riggs get the two of them killed first?

Please Note: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Post. The opinions I share are my own.

Based on the massively popular film franchise of the same name, the first season of ‘Lethal Weapon’ (re)introduces us to new partners and the perfect odd couple, detectives Roger Murtaugh and Martin Riggs (portrayed on the series by Damon Wayans (TV’s My Wife and Kids) and Clayne Crawford (TV’s 24) respectively); one a family man who plays by the book and the other a recently widowed, loose cannon and ex-Navy SEAL with an apparent death wish who embraces every reckless opportunity he can, with his grief and alcoholism only adding extra fuel to the fire. Forced to work together, Roger and Martin soon find their polar opposites can also prove beneficial to each other and the duo soon begin to form a solid partnership; even if it may be one filled with constant bickering and daily insanity.

The debut season of the ‘Lethal Weapon’ television series wildly excels expectations to say the least and manages to offer a well constructed, brilliantly casted and just flat out enjoyable television series that not only retains the heart, humor and so many other notable elements of the film series (and actually does so remarkably well) but simultaneously manages to make these famous characters and their playground very much their own. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of accomplishing both of these feats is that the two mesh together beautifully and as opposed to clashing and causing a disruption in the show’s harmony it only tremendously improves the overall experience and forms into something truly special that always manages to hit the right marks and only becomes better throughout the course of the first season’s 18 episodes. Featuring Damon Wayans and Clayne Crawford portraying the infamous roles of LAPD detectives Roger Murtaugh and Martin Riggs on the television series and both do a surprisingly amazing job taking over the roles and offering plenty of familiar mannerisms and traits, while still making these important characters very much their own. I would strongly urge fellow fans of the film franchise and anyone who appreciates a well crafted police procedural with plenty of action, laughs and heart to spare to make a point of giving the ‘Lethal Weapon’ series a whirl when you have the opportunity to do so. It’s a remarkably well crafted and executed show that stays true to the film series its based upon it while also never hesitating to make certain it’s far from a carbon copy and very much its own beast.

Overall, the first season of ‘Lethal Weapon’ is a wonderfully pleasant surprise that defies all expectations and delivers a hilarious, heartfelt and of course action packed series that both pays homage to the famous film franchise of the same name with numerous nods and twists in the storyline that repeatedly express appreciation for the movies, while also allowing the series to become very much its own vehicle. With the spot-on casting choices of Damon Wayans and Clayne Crawford as Murtaugh and Riggs to further boost the clever writing and execution it all forms together into a ridiculously enjoyable new show that fits in beautifully with the police procedurals we all know and should also have no trouble whatsoever consistently slapping a grin on the face of fellow fans of the film franchise. ‘Lethal Weapon: The Complete First Season’ definitely comes highly recommended and fans of the series that have already had the pleasure and would love to revisit the first season will probably want to strongly consider picking up a copy of this 3-disc Blu-ray collection which should largely please with its solid high definition video and audio presentations in addition to a few fun bonus goodies.

VIDEO:

The Blu-ray release of ‘Lethal Weapon: The Complete First Season’ features a full 1080p High Definition presentation utilizing the show’s original 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio on all of the debut season’s episodes. The video presentations look pretty fantastic as a whole and deliver sharp, detailed and smooth presentations on each and every included episode. They hold up quite well even during the frequent fast moving and darkly lit sequences, never causing anything occurring on screen to become negatively affected or rendered indiscernible along the way. Overall, these are more than competent high definition video presentations that should have little trouble satisfying the show’s fans.

AUDIO:

The Blu-ray release features a lossless 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on all 18 Season One episodes. These lossless multichannel soundtracks deliver crisp, clean and aggressive audio presentations on every episode without any noticeable flaws to be found throughout. They consistently take advantage of all five available channels in order to fully immerse the viewer, sending no shortage of bullets, explosions, debris, crowd chatter and a great deal more regularly making its way throughout the various speakers, and never allowing any dialogue or additional auditory elements that may be occurring simultaneously to become distorted or rendered inaudible. Overall, these are fantastic 5.1 channel DTS-HD MA soundtracks that offer plenty of additional with fun with these clean and hard hitting audio presentations.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The Blu-ray release of ‘Lethal Weapon: The Complete First Season’ includes a few fun extras that fans of the series will likely appreciate. Included on the release is the ‘Extended (and Uncensored) Pilot’ (running 47 minutes in length, approximately a minute longer than the broadcast version), in addition to ‘Deleted Scene(s)’ from 10 of the season’s episodes, and a ‘Gag Reel’ (approximately 3 minutes). We are also treated to a Featurette: ‘Reloading Lethal Weapon’ (running approximately 16 minutes) which includes members of the cast and crew discussing the series.

*Please note that the above images are taken from the Blu-Ray and resized. They additionally will suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on this Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.

Disc Rating: 7/10

‘Lethal Weapon: The Complete First Season’ is Now Available to Own on Blu-ray & DVD from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

You can purchase ‘Lethal Weapon: Season 1’ by clicking on the Amazon Cart Icon immediately below!

Based on the Best-Selling Book Series by Stephen King

THE DARK TOWER

Starring Idris Elba and Academy Award® Winner Matthew McConaughey

Debuting on Digital October 17

On 4K Ultra HD™/Blu-ray™, Blu-ray & DVD October 31

Blu-ray Includes Deleted Scenes, Five Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes, and more!

CULVER CITY, Calif. (September 19, 2017) –Idris Elba (Prometheus) and Academy Award®winner Matthew McConaughey (Best Actor, Dallas Buyers Club, 2013) star in THE DARK TOWER, the epic adventure based on the Stephen King book series, debuting on digital October 17 and on 4K Ultra HD™/Blu-ray™, Blu-ray and DVD October 31 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Roland, the last Gunslinger (Idris Elba) has been locked in an eternal battle with the Man in Black (Matthew McConaughey), determined to prevent him from destroying the Dark Tower, which holds the universe together. With the fate of the worlds at stake, good and evil will collide in the ultimate battle.THE DARK TOWER also stars Tom Taylor making his feature film debut, Katheryn Winnick (“Vikings”), Claudia Kim (Avengers: Age of Ultron), Fran Kranz (The Cabin in the Woods), Abbey Lee (Mad Max: Fury Road) and Academy Award nominee Jackie Earle Haley (Best Supporting Actor, Little Children, 2006).

THE DARK TOWER Blu-ray is loaded with bonus material, including deleted scenes, a blooper reel and “A Look Through the Keyhole,” which features three vignettes narrated by Roland and The Man in Black.Also included are five behind-the-scenes featurettes that capture the imagination of fans. The filmmakers and Stephen King reveal the plot points that allowed the film to pay tribute to everything great about Stephen King’s novels while making it a whole new experience for fans in “Last Time Around.” Fans step inside the fully realized sets and locations that play host to the physical embodiment of Stephen King’s Mid-World in “The World Has Moved On …”. For “The Man in Black,” Matthew McConaughey takes the audience inside his perceptions and process for portraying the villain Walter, aka The Man in Black.Fans go behind the scenes and inside the stunt team’s process for creating the action-packed battles in “The Gunslinger in Action”. Stephen King discusses the journey from his book series to screen in “Stephen King Inspirations.”

Synopsis:

Based on the best-selling book series by highly-acclaimed author Stephen King. The last Gunslinger, Roland (Idris Elba), has been locked in an eternal battle with the Man in Black (Matthew McConaughey), determined to prevent him from toppling the Dark Tower, which holds the universe together. With the fate of the worlds at stake, good and evil will collide in the epic battle as only Roland can defend the Tower from the Man in Black.

From Columbia Pictures and MRC,directed by Nikolaj Arcel from a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman & Jeff Pinkner and Anders Thomas Jensen & Nikolaj Arcel, THE DARK TOWER was produced by Akiva Goldsman, Ron Howard and Erica Hugginsand executive produced by G. Mac Brown and Jeff Pinkner.

Digital&Blu-ray Exclusive Bonus Materials Include:

Deleted Scenes

BlooperReel

A Look Through the Keyhole

Five Featurettes

“Last Time Around”

“The World Has Moved On…”

“The Man in Black”

“The Gunslinger in Action”

“Stephen King Inspirations”

DVD Materials Include:

BlooperReel

Two Featurettes:

“The Man in Black”

“The Gunslinger in Action”

4K Ultra HD Includes:

Feature film presented with Dolby Vision high dynamic range and Dolby Atmos sound

Blu-ray with above bonus materials

THE DARK TOWER has a run time of approximately 98minutes and is rated PG-13 for thematic material including sequences of gun violence and action.

Academy Award® is the registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company. SPE is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., which is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. SPE’s Motion Picture Group includes film labels Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, and Sony Pictures Classics.

Get Ready for One Hell of a Ride!

PREACHER: SEASON TWO

Starring Dominic Cooper, Joseph Gilgun and Ruth Negga

Available on Blu-ray™ and DVD November 14

Featuring a Gag Reel with Hilarious Moments from the Season& On Set Action Featurette

CULVER CITY, Calif. (September 18, 2017)–The genre-bending, critically acclaimed supernatural series PREACHER: SEASON TWO arrives on Blu-ray™ and DVD November 14 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The extended second season is an absurdly twisted,action packed thrill-ride following Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper,TV’s “Agent Carter,” Captain America: The First Avenger), a small-town preacher with a criminal past who sets out to find God upon learning He is absent from Heaven. Along for the ride are his ex-girlfriend Tulip (Academy Award® nominee Ruth Negga, Best Actress, Loving, 2016, TV’s“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) and his best mate Cassidy(Joseph Gilgun, This is England, TV’s “Emmerdale”), an Irish vampire. Finding themselves in New Orleans, the gang must dodge local gangsters, dangerous secret agents and the Saint of Killers (Graham McTavish, TV’s “Outlander”), an unstoppable murderous cowboy from Hell.

PREACHER: SEASON TWO contains all 13 episodes in three-disc Blu-ray™ and DVD sets. Along with the gag reel, featuring hilarious moments from the cutting room floor, is the featurette “Raising the Stakes: Action on Set,” where the cast and crew explain why Season Two is filled with more action, blood and gore than ever before as we follow along on-set for one of the biggest fights of the season from the episode “Damsels.”

Synopsis:

The second season of PREACHER is a genre-bending thrill ride that follows West Texas preacher Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper), his badass ex-girlfriend Tulip (Academy Award® nominee Ruth Negga, Best Actress, Loving, 2016) and Irish vampire Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun) as they embark on a road trip to find God and are thrust into a twisted battle spanning Heaven, Hell and everywhere in between.

Blu-ray™ and DVD Special Features include:

Gag Reel

“Raising the Stakes: Action on Set” Featurette

Broadcast Year:2017.PREACHER: SEASON TWOis not rated.

Academy Award® is the registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company. SPE is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., which is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. SPE’s Motion Picture Group includes film labels Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, and Sony Pictures Classics.

Having left the safety of being Cat Grant’s assistant at Catco Worldwide Media in order to figure out what she really wants to do, Kara Danvers (Melissa Benoist) continues to work with Hank Henshaw aka Martian Manhunter (David Harewood) and her adoptive sister Alex (Chyler Leigh) at the DEO as Supergirl – protecting the citizens of National City and searching for her missing father Jeremiah (Dean Cain) and the secret research lab Cadmus. Along the way, she will team up with her Kryptonian cousin Kal El – aka Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) – to battle new DC Super-Villains both terrestrial and extraterrestrial, as she strives to balance her personal life with friends/allies James Olsen (Mehcad Brooks), Winn Schott (Jeremy Jordan) and more with her busy life as a new Super Hero in SUPERGIRL Season Two.

Please Note: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Post. The opinions I share are my own.

The second season of ‘Supergirl’ kicks off with Kara’s famous cousin Superman arriving in town for some family bonding and team-up excitement, while Supergirl and Martian Manhunter must also attempt to uncover the details of the newly discovered pod (the arrival of which concluded season one for those who may not recall). Now working on her own as a reporter at Catco, Kara no longer enjoys the safety net she was granted while serving as Cat’s assistant and must somehow establish a way in which to do her job to the fullest of her potential while still being able to continue her crucial work with her sister and the rest of the DEO in order to ensure the further protection of her city. With new and familiar threats arising out of the woodwork, Supergirl quickly realizes that things are only going to get worse before they get any better and if she hopes to find a place for herself in this still somewhat unfamiliar world while balancing two lives it’s certainly going to be a challenge; fortunately she is the girl of steel.

The sophomore season of ‘Supergirl’ (and its first year airing among fellow DC-TV Shows ‘The Flash’, ‘Arrow’ and ‘DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’ on The CW) returns full swing, while also providing fans precisely what they had been hoping for from the onset, the arrival of Superman (portrayed on the series by Teen Wolf’s Tyler Hoechlin who does a pretty outstanding job in the role) and only continuously delivers all of the passion, emotional moments and out of this world action that fans have come to love and expect. At the same time it naturally ups the ante for year two and does so without ever detracting from the story or causing elements to seem unnatural or forced; all building to some truly wild events that conclude the season with quite the bang. ‘Supergirl’ certainly continues to prove itself a tremendously welcome addition to the DC-TV universe and after this year’s epic crossover event in which she was fully involved in, it’s also quite clear she fits in beautifully within the larger scope of things. The latest season also offers a number of delicious cameos that fans of previous DC television incarnations will undoubtedly appreciate; this year’s roster of guest stars and cameos including some new and returning faces to the show such as Lynda Carter of Wonder Woman fame, the return of Dean Cain along with the addition of Teri Hatcher, plus plenty of additional easter eggs that shouldn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated with the longtime DC Comics super-fans.

Overall, fellow diehard fans of DC Comics and the ever-expanding DC Television Universe (or merely ‘Supergirl’ in particular) that have collected the previous season release(s) on BD will almost surely want to make certain to purchase a copy of ‘Supergirl: The Complete Second Season’ on Blu-ray as well if you haven’t already done so. The 4-disc Blu-ray release of the show’s sophomore season offers overall fantastic high definition video and audio presentations on all 22 episodes, in addition to some notable extras that fans won’t want to miss out on. Those who enjoyed the first season but haven’t yet had the chance to check out the latest run will also want to look into a rental option if possible or else try and catch the season on your favorite streaming provider (if available) in order to catch up on all the second season’s emotion and insanity before the third season debuts on The CW this October; anyone who enjoys the DC television universe even half as much as myself definitely won’t want to miss out on Season Two of ‘Supergirl’.

VIDEO:

The Blu-ray release of ‘Supergirl: The Complete Second Season’ features a full 1080p High Definition presentation utilizing the show’s original 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio on all of the second season’s episodes. The video presentations look wonderful as a whole and provide clean, sharp and detailed presentations on every included episode, suffering very few mild imperfections on occasion, yet nothing that ever really negatively affects the viewing experience. They hold up admirably even during the numerous fast paced and darkly lit sequences and even while not provided the most substantial of bitrates they still look quite fantastic throughout. Overall, these are pretty fantastic high definition video presentations that should have little trouble satisfying the fellow fans, especially those that have been collecting and are more than content with the previous DC television season releases on Blu-ray.

AUDIO:

The Blu-ray release features a lossless 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on all 22 Season Two episodes. These lossless multichannel soundtracks deliver crisp, clean and hard hitting audio presentations on each episode, with no noticeable faults to be uncovered at any point. They regularly utilize all five available channels in order to send action effects, crowd chatter and our flying hero frequently zipping throughout the various speakers along with plenty of additional audio activity, and always making certain that any dialogue that might be occurring simultaneously remains clean and fully audible at all times. Overall, these are magnificent 5.1 channel DTS-HD MA soundtracks that contribute plenty of additional fun to the overall viewing experience and shouldn’t disappoint fans in the slightest.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The Blu-ray release of ‘Supergirl: The Complete Second Season’ includes some noteworthy extras that fans should appreciate. Included on the release is an ‘Audio Commentary on “Supergirl Lives” with Andrew Kreisberg and Kevin Smith’, in addition to the ‘Supergirl: 2016 Comic-Con Panel’ (running approximately 28 minutes in length) and some new behind the scenes Featurettes that include behind the scenes content, interviews/comments with the cast and crew, plus more. The Included Featurettes are: ‘Supergirl: Alien Fight Night’ (running approximately 10 minutes), ‘Supergirl: Aliens Among Us’ (approximately 20 minutes) and ‘A Conversation with Andrew Kreisberg and Kevin Smith (4 minutes). The release also includes a collection of brief ‘Supergirl: Did You Know?’ mini-featurettes (approximately 1-2 minutes or less each): ‘Superman Baby’, ‘Martian Manhunter Needs A Zipper In His Suit’, ‘Kara Eats All The Brownies Out Of The Ice Cream’, ‘Mehcad Brooks Collects Cultural Antiques’, ‘Chyler Leigh Crashes David Harewood’s Interview’, ‘Melissa Explains Using Her Powers On The Show Without The Effects’ and ‘We Really Want Superman Back!’.

*Please note that the above images are taken from the Blu-Ray and resized. They additionally will suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on this Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.

Disc Rating: 8/10

‘Supergirl: The Complete Second Season’ is Now Available to Own on Blu-ray & DVD from DC Entertainment & Warner Bros Home Entertainment

You can purchase ‘Supergirl: Season 2’ by clicking on the Amazon Cart Icon immediately below!

Tom Cruise stars in this spectacular version of the legend that has fascinated cultures all over the world since the dawn of civilization: The Mummy. Thought safely entombed deep beneath the desert, an ancient princess (Sofia Boutella) whose destiny was unjustly taken from her is awakened in our current day. Her malevolence has grown over millennia and with it come terrors that defy human comprehension. From the sands of the Middle East through modern-day London, The Mummy balances wonder, thrills, and imagination.

This new reinvention of the classic monster movie tale ‘The Mummy’ follows Nick Morton (Cruise) who along with his associate and fellow treasure seeker (Johnson) accidentally awaken the spirit of a mummified priestess (Boutella) and unintentionally transport her to modern day London. After a spectacular and destructive arrival, the monstrous force begins to unleash her wrath of terrors on the unsuspecting city and those Nick cares for most. Now he must consider joining forces with a unique organization that just might be his only chance of stopping her, not to mention terminating the disturbing connection that he now seems to share with her.

Directed by Alex Kurtzman (People Like Us) from a screenplay by David Koepp (Panic Room), Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher) and Dylan Kussman (TV’s The Steps) which was itself based upon a screen story by Kurtzman and a couple of others, Kurtzman does a solid job at the helm of ‘The Mummy’ guiding this modern, action-focused tale along smoothly and with style. The film also owes a good chunk of credit to the notable cast which features some talented individuals and includes Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation), Annabelle Wallis (Annabelle), Sofia Boutella (Kingsman: The Secret Service), Jake Johnson (Jurassic World), Courtney B. Vance (Terminator Genisys) and Russell Crowe (The Nice Guys) along with more, nearly all offering quite capable performances in each of their respective roles.

This new, modern take on the classic Universal monster feature ‘The Mummy’ drastically revamps the familiar concept into something quite unlike its origins and brings viewers a modern take on the mummified terror that is more action film than horror and while some fans of the original may be disappointed by that factor alone, it works surprisingly well if you’re able to approach it primarily as its own beast. It delivers no shortage of visually spectacular action sequences that are never afraid to take things to new levels while keeping things consistently intense and exciting and still offering some beautifully crafted calmer moments that look quite eerie and can’t help but elicit a grin. While ‘The Mummy’ certainly isn’t going to make most best of the year lists, it’s not nearly as disappointing as many would have you believe and at the absolute least it manages to offer a thoroughly enjoyable and visually gorgeous ride that rarely allows things to get dull. With the numerous little nods at other classic Universal monsters in addition to a clear setup for at least one additional film within, it does a fantastic job of beginning to establish Universal’s intended ‘Dark Universe’ by somewhat intertwining these stories from the onset. Director Alex Kurtzman does a great job guiding this intense and gorgeous ride along its course and his capable guidance is further complimented by a talented and well selected cast that includes Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis, Russell Crowe and more. I would strongly urge anyone that was ever somewhat intrigued by the film to begin with to make a point of giving ‘The Mummy’ a shot when you have the opportunity to do so in order to decide for yourself. It occasionally falters, but never too drastically and odds are it will have no trouble proving itself worth your time if nothing else, although anyone not overly interested to begin with probably won’t need to rush out and immediately get their hands on a copy.

Overall, ‘The Mummy’ is a visually gorgeous, action-packed and thoroughly entertaining ride that revamps the classic Monster property and also takes numerous small steps toward setting up a much larger universe and grander scale within. It’s capably guided around each fun and spectacular turn by director Alex Kurtzman and further boosted by a plethora of impressive effects and a more than capable cast led by Tom Cruise. ‘The Mummy’ definitely earns my recommendation, especially for anyone already the slightest bit interested in the movie, along with hardcore fans of Cruise’s work. For anyone who fits that bill it will likely prove worthy of your time and the cost of a rental if nothing else. Albeit imperfect, it’s still quite the solid overall film and never fails to deliver plenty of tense, visually stunning action in addition to a great kicking off point for Universal’s intended ‘Dark Universe’ franchise.

VIDEO:

The Blu-ray release of ‘The Mummy’ features a full 1080p High Definition presentation utilizing the film’s original 2.40:1 Cinemascope Aspect Ratio. The video presentation looks outstanding as a whole and provides a sharp, detailed and gorgeous presentation from start to finish that suffers no noticeable faults along the way. It holds up impressively even during the numerous darkly lit and fast moving sequences, never allowing anything occurring on screen to become negatively affected or rendered indiscernible. Overall, this is a wonderful high definition video presentation from Universal that should easily satisfy the fans and casual viewers alike.

AUDIO:

The Blu-ray release features a Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 channel compatible) soundtrack. Please note that this review pertains solely to the Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio presentation. This lossless multichannel soundtrack sounds marvelous and provides a wonderful compliment to the film. It delivers an aggressive, yet equally clean audio presentation throughout that never falters. It constantly takes advantage of all seven available channels in order to fully immerse the viewer in the action, sending creepy noises along with explosions, debris, plane activity and more whipping throughout the various speakers when appropriate, and never allowing any dialogue or other simultaneously occurring auditory elements to become distorted or rendered inaudible in the process. Overall, this is a magnificent Dolby Atmos (TrueHD 7.1 compatible) soundtrack that contributes plenty of extra fun to the overall viewing experience.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The Blu-ray release of ‘The Mummy’ includes a pretty decent collection of bonus content that fans of the film should appreciate. Included on the release is an ‘Audio Commentary with Director/Producer Alex Kurtzman and Cast Member’s Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis and Jake Johnson’, in addition to a few ‘Deleted and Extended Scenes’ from the movie (running approximately 5 minutes in length combined) and a collection of Behind the Scenes Featurettes that take you deeper into various aspects of bringing the film to life, featuring behind the scenes footage, interviews/comments with the cast and a crew, plus more. The included Featurettes are: ‘Cruise and Kurtzman: A Conversation’ (running approximately 21 minutes), ‘Rooted in Reality’ (approximately 7 minutes), ‘Life in Zero-G: Creating the Plane Crash’ (8 minutes), ‘Meet Ahmanet’ (8 minutes), ‘Cruise in Action’ (6 minutes), ‘Becoming Jekyll and Hyde’ (7 minutes), ‘Choreographed Chaos’ (7 minutes) and ‘Nick Morton: In Search of A Soul’ (6 minutes). An “Ahmanet Reborn” Animated Graphic Novel (approximately 4 minutes) is also included.

*Please note that the above images are taken from the Blu-Ray and resized. They additionally will suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on this Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.

Film Rating: 7/10
Disc Rating: 8.5/10

Tom Cruise stars in ‘The Mummy’; Now Available to Own on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

You can purchase ‘The Mummy’ by clicking on the Amazon Cart Icon immediately below!

Josh Duhamel, Famke Janssen, and Giancarlo Esposito highlight this pulse-pounding thriller about a reality show that exploits the on-camera deaths of its players—on live TV. After a dating show ends in violence, its host Adam Rogers (Duhamel) and a ratings-hungry network exec (Janssen) launch a terrifying new program that promises fresh kills every week. The tension mounts as a kindhearted janitor (Esposito) joins the deadly program, hoping to help his struggling family survive…at any cost.

‘The Show’ follows reality television icon Adam Rogers (Duhamel) whose heroic and selfless acts during a deadly moment on the millionaire-marriage series he hosts quickly becomes the most talked about news around. Once the network’s brass discover a loophole regarding the live broadcast of a suicide with certain specific rules following the on-air tragedy, the world’s obvious desperation for bloodshed combined with the network’s lack of legal responsibility promptly results in the forming of a disturbing new reality show titled ‘This Is Your Death’ where contestants willingly commit suicide on stage in order to hopefully further the lives of those they care most about. As the unsettling new series immediately skyrockets to success in the ratings, Adam’s appreciation and overall respect for life begins to dwindle as he becomes engulfed in the show’s monumental success and he soon finds himself becoming a drastically different person as the on-screen violence begins to take a toll in his life, affecting him and those he holds most dear.

Directed by Giancarlo Esposito who is surely best known to most folks for his acting work including his infamous portrayal of Gus on the immensely popular television series ‘Breaking Bad’ along with plenty more, Esposito does a wonderful job at the helm of ‘The Show’ which marks his sophomore directorial effort (he previously directed 2008’s Gospel Hill), carefully guiding along this tense and unnerving tale from a screenplay by Noah Pink (TV’s Genius) and Kenny Yakkel (The Task). The film also owes a tremendous amount of credit to the talented folks that comprise the cast and allow the experience to work as well as it does including Josh Duhamel (Transformers), Giancarlo Esposito (TV’s Once Upon A Time), Famke Janssen (X-Men), Sarah Wayne Callies (TV’s Prison Break), Caitlin FitzGerald (TV’s Masters of Sex), Chris Ellis (Apollo 13) and more, nearly all delivering notable performances in each of their respective roles, particularly Duhamel, Esposito and Callies who each offer some of their finest acting work to date and nary miss a beat.

‘The Show’ is a film quite unlike anything else you’ve recently experienced. It’s an intense, unsettling and emotionally riveting piece of filmmaking that provides a grim an eerily realistic exploration of today’s culture which always seems to be itching for the most disturbing and blood soaked bit of media they can get their hands on. It’s certainly not too far of a stretch to imagine a station willing to air just such a series if they had no legal hurdles to tackle, and while this definitely isn’t the case at the moment, the concept and nearly every aspect surrounding it is nonetheless hauntingly believable. What allows ‘The Show’ to be such a fantastic piece of cinema is that its intent is not simply to assault the viewer with a barrage of gory imagery with no larger purpose, and while make no mistake there are definitely some outright disturbing moments in the film, it’s never for the simple sake of shock and amusement but in order to allow the viewer a better understanding of just how unnerving what is occurring on screen is and to provide us an adequate appreciation of the escalation within. This is not a film with the sole intention to entertain and amuse, but a powerful and heartfelt look at a world not far from reach and an exploration of countless real issues that far too many are already tackling today and have been for far too long. Director Giancarlo Esposito does a fantastic job passionately guiding along this painful story and allowing it to reach its full potential regardless of the cost, and his capable guidance is further complimented by some remarkable performances from a perfectly selected cast including Josh Duhammel who is simply phenomenal and provides one of his finest performances to date, constantly brimming with vigor and a quiet intensity that promptly transfixes you. In addition to his role as director, Esposito himself also offers an impressive portrayal of the film’s secondary focus Mason Washington, a family man struggling to maintain various jobs and still unable to adequately provide for his family who slowly begins to contemplate drastic measures when his luck only increasingly worsens.

Overall, ‘The Show’ is a fantastic film that will shock, disturb and move you with its powerful look at today’s world and culture that doesn’t pull any punches. While unsettling and often quite bleak it’s also never lacking in heart or emotional strength, each unnerving step made with purpose. Director Giancarlo Esposito does a wonderful job at the helm of his sophomore directorial effort and also offers a heart wrenching performance in front of the camera, and his capable work on both sides is only further boosted by more noteworthy cast members at their best including Josh Duhammel who truly shines here and delivers a powerful and intense performance as show host Adam Rogers. ‘The Show’ is definitely highly recommended; this powerful and moving tale is not to be missed and will almost certainly stick with you for some time after the credits roll.

GAME OF THRONES®: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON

Season 7 of the Epic Series is Available Now for Preorder!

Available on Blu-ray™ and DVD December 12, 2017 & for Digital Download September 25th

Blu-ray™ and DVD Include Exclusive Never-Before-Seen Animated History of the Seven Kingdoms & Audio Commentaries for Every Episode!

New York, N.Y., September 13, 2017 – The record-breaking phenomenon is back with a season that proved to be well worth the wait! Action-packed from start to finish with the series’ most epic battles yet, the HBO® drama series Game of Thrones: The Complete Seventh Season will be available for Digital Download September 25th and on Blu-Ray™ and DVD December 12th. The latest season of Game of Thrones featured the most-watched premiere and finale episodes in HBO history, and the series remains the most-awarded drama series in Emmy® history, with 109 nominations to date and winning the 2015 and 2016 trophy for Best Drama Series.

Available December 12th, The Blu-ray™ and DVD sets are packed with exclusive new bonus content including audio commentaries on every episode, two new behind-the-scenes featurettes, and, for a limited time only, a bonus disc containing Conquest & Rebellion: An Animated History of the Seven Kingdoms, a 45-minute, never-before-seen extension of the Clio Award-winning History & Lore features included on previous individual Blu-ray™ season releases. Narrated by some of the series’ biggest stars including Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister) and Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), the companion piece to season 7 reveals the fascinating story of how the world of Westeros as we know it came to be– including what happened the last time a Targaryen invaded the realm!

Available September 25th, the Digital Download release for Game of Thrones: The Complete Seventh Season includes an exclusive new “Creating the North and Beyond” featurette that takes fans behind the scenes of Jon Snow’s epic trek north of The Wall and his latest battle with the Night King’s army.

Blu-ray™ & DVD Exclusive Bonus Features Include:

Conquest & Rebellion: An Animated History of the Seven Kingdoms- From the Game of Thrones realm comes the never-before-seen story of the tumultuous events that shaped the world of Westeros for thousands of years before the series start. Cast members Pilou Asbæk (Euron Greyjoy), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Aidan Gillen (Littlefinger), Conleth Hill (Varys), Harry Lloyd (Viserys Targaryen) and Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) team up to narrate the animated telling of Aegon Targaryen’s attempts to conquer the Seven Kingdoms, written by show writer Dave Hill.

From Imagination to Reality: Inside the Art Department- Extensive two-part featurette detailing the astonishing work of Production Designer Deborah Riley and her Art Department, dissecting the process behind the creation of this season’s incredible new sets, including Dragonstone, Casterly Rock, Highgarden, the Dragonpit, and more.

Fire & Steel: Creating the Invasion of Westeros- Revisit this season’s most pivotal moments with this behind-the-scenes featurette, including interviews with key cast and crew breaking down how fans’ favorite moments were created.

Histories and Lore- 7 new animated pieces that give the history and background of notable season 7 locations and storylines including The Dragonpit, Highgarden, Prophecies of the Known World, the Rains of Castamere and more all narrated by cast members including Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Aidan Gillen, Iain Glen and more.

Creating the North and Beyond– Behind-the-scenes featurette delving into the massive undertaking of creating and filming the battle in Episode 6 of Season 7.

In Season 7, Daenerys Targaryen has finally set sail for Westeros with her armies, dragons and new Hand of the Queen, Tyrion Lannister. Jon Snow has been named King in the North after defeating Ramsay Bolton in the Battle of the Bastards and returning Winterfell to House Stark. In King’s Landing, Cersei Lannister has seized the Iron Throne by incinerating the High Sparrow, his followers and her rivals in the Sept of Baelor. But as old alliances fracture and new ones emerge, an army of dead men marches on the Wall, threatening to end the game of thrones forever.

New cast members for the seventh season include: Jim Broadbent, Tom Hopper, and Megan Parkinson. Ed Sheeran guest stars in one episode.

Game of Thrones: The Complete Seventh Season

Blu-ray™, DVD & Digital Download

Digital Download: September 25, 2017

Blu-ray™ & DVD: December 12, 2017

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: Approx. 437 minutes (not including extra features)

About HBO Home Entertainment®

HBO Home Entertainment develops, distributes and markets an extensive array of critically-acclaimed and groundbreaking programs in three formats—Blu-rayTM, DVD, and Digital HD—throughout the world. Releases include the global hit Game of Thrones®, the #1 selling TV on DVD/Blu-rayTM title in major territories throughout the world over the past four years, in addition to current hits and classic favorites including True Detective®, Girls®, The Sopranos®, Sex and the City® True Blood®, The Wire® and Entourage®. The company’s catalog contains hundreds of titles including multiple Emmy® Award-winning mini-series The Pacific® and Band of Brothers®, which holds the record through 2014 as the all-time best selling TV on DVD/Blu-rayTM title in the US; provocative programs from HBO Documentary Films including The Jinx: The Life & Deaths of Robert Durst and The Case Against 8; innovative movies from HBO Films including Game Change and The Normal Heart; hit Cinemax® original series including BansheeSM and Strike Back®; and comedy specials featuring stand-up performers like Bill Maher and Billy Crystal. Launched in 1984, HBO Home Entertainment has offices in New York, London and Toronto. The company’s releases are sold in more than 70 territories around the world and are digitally distributed on a transactional basis across an expanding number of territories and platforms.

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